Method of production of nitrites.



- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLAUS NISSEN RIIBER, OF GHRISTIANIA,

NORWAY, ASSIGNOR TO AKTIESELSKABET DET NORSKE KVAELSTOFKOMPAGNI, OFCHRISTIANIA, NORWAY.

METHOD OF PRODUCTIOJSI OF NITRITES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed January 6, 1905. Serial No. 239,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, CLAUs-NrssEN RIIBER,

a subject of the King of Norwav and Sweden,

' air usually but the experience-is that the resulting products are notpure nitrites, but a mixture. of

nitrites and nitrates, which mixture is very difficult to transform intouseful and marketable products; This result seems to have been caused bythe fact that it has been usual to let the gases undergo, beforeabsorption, an oxidation from nitric-oxid (N O) to nitrogen dioxid (N0or at least to a mixture of nitric I oxid (NO) and nitrogen dioxid (NO),and

' tion will take lace, and that in this instance such mixture cannotgive pure nitrites with alkalies. The reason why thefgases have beentreated in this manner is, that it has been thought impossible to obtaina reaction between nitric oxid (NO) and alkalies, and this is true in sofar as .pure nitric oxid (NO) and alkalies do not combine.

I have discovered that when nitric oxid (NO) mixed with oxygen or withair is brought into contact with alkalies, a reacure nitrite, ee fromnitrate, is obtained. I y experiments have, moreover, shown that areaction between nitric oxid and alkalies or alkaline earths, (by whichreaction nitrite is formed in the presence of oxygen,) Will take placeaccording to the following equation-z From this .it will be seen that apractical production of nitrite free from nitrates from oxid with anexcess gas mixtures containing nitric oxid, as those produced inelectric furnaces, is possible.

According to my invention the-process is performed as follows :The gasesfrom the electric furnace are at once directed into absorption a paratuscontaining alkalies or alkaline eart the nitric oxid (N O) to nitrogendioxid (N 0,) takes place, nitric oxid before the oxygen has been ableto convert the oxid into dioxid. If the gases in leaving the furnace arevery warm it may be advantageous to cool said gases considerably as theyleave the furnace, whereby the reaction between the oxygen and thenitric oxid is retarded;

I claim 1. .In the manufacture of nitrites, the process which consistsin treating air in an electric arc, the'ieby forming a mixture of nitricoxid with an excess of air, and causing said 1gases, before nitric oxidis changed to a igher oxid, to act upon an alkaline solution to form analkaline nitrite, substantially as' and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the manufacture of pure nitrites, the process which consists inblowing air through an electric arc in a suitable furnace and leadmg thegas mixture so formed directly into compounds of alkalies or alkalineearths contained in a chamber separate from the furnace.

3. In the manufacture of nitrite's, the process which consists intreating air in an electric arc, thereby forming a mixture of nitric ofair, then cooling the gases and causing them to act upon an alkalinesolution before nitric oxid is changed to higher oxid of nitrogen toform a substantially pure alkaline nitrite.

' In testimon that I claim the foregoing as my invention, have signed myname inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLAUS N ISSEN RIIBER.

Witnesses: I HENRY BORDEWICH, MICHAEL ALGER.

, and before theoxidation of' which agents will act upon the

